Can filling machine



July 7, 1953 o. D. VELlE 2,644,629

CAN FILLING MACHINE 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed May 8, 1946 INVEN TOR ORV/LLED. VEL/E y 1953 o. D. VELIE 2,644,629

CAN FILLING MACHINE Filed May 8, 1946 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 gmwvm i 1 5ORV/LLE 0. I Z-L/E July 1953 o. D. VELIE 2,644,629

CAN FILLING MACHINE Filed may 8. 1946 4 Sheets-Sheet s w in ,5? -22a o I/5 \I O Elli III] 'INVENTORS ORV/LLE D. //L/ 54 E BY Patented July 7,1953 CAN FIYLLING MACHINE I Orville D. Velie, Bellingham, Wash; Orrie W.Norton, executor of said Orville D; Velie, de ceased, assignor, by mesneassignments, to

James Q. Leavitt Company,

Washington a corporation of Application May s, 1946, Sea; No. 668,238

8 Claims. (01'. 226 965) This invention relates to filling machines forautomatically filling cans or other commodity vending receptacles withmeasuredquantities of vegetables, fruits or other edible products.

' One of the primary objects of the invention, as herein disclosed, isto provide an automatic filling machine for compactly fi1ling m'easuredquantities of uncut string beans or other. elongated vegetables orfruits into cans or'receptacles' oipredetermined capacity and withoutsubjecting the same to excessive crushing pressuresl Another object ofthe invention resides in the provision of a rotating turret'carrying aplurality of circumierentially spaced charge-receiving chambers togetherwith a plurality of measuring chambers mounted to'rotate in timedrelation with the charger-receiving chambers, and means carried by theturret operati'vely controlling plunger means for e'xpellingthe beans orother material from the measuring chambers into the charge-receivingchambers.

A further object of the invention is to provide charge-receivingchambers each consisting of relatively movable sections, and meansautomatically operating in the rotation of said chambers, to actuate themovable chamber sections and compress the material. therein to therequired bulk for reception in the vending receptacles.

A further objectof the invention is to provide measuring chambers ofnovel sectional construction with means for adjusting one of the chambersections relative to the other to vary the capacity or for the receptiontherein of vegetable or fruit particles of predetermined length. c

A still further object of the'invention is to proide a novel arrangementof vertically reciprocating plungers carried by the. rotating turrettogether with operating means therefor, whereby upon the arrival of eachcompressed charge at the filling station it is ejected therefrom intothe can or container.

An additional object of the invention is to provide a simple means foreffectively clamping or holding the can or container in position at thefilling station and subsequently releasing the filled can anddischarging the same to a take-oft conveyor.

In general, it is the object and purposeof my present invention toprovide an automaticfilling machine as above characterized which isdistinguished by simplicity of construction, efficient. and reliablefunctional operation with low maintenance expense, and maximum output ofthe canned product.

With the-above, and other objects'in view,-;the invention comprises theimproved automatic fill- 2 mgmacnine or apparatus and the constructionand relativearrangernent of its several parts, as Willheie'inafter beI'fidr' fully described, illl'istrated in the accompanying drawings, andsubse quently incorporated in the subjoined' claims,

In the drawings; wherein f have disclosed one simple andpra'ct'ic'al'embodiment of my invention anol in which similar reference charactersiridicate corresponding parts throughout the several views": A i v vFigure l is aside 'elevationfillustrating a filling machine asconstructed inaccordance with the present invention g T I Figure 2- is afront elevation thereof.

Figure 3 is atop plan view. 1

Figure'xe is a vertical sectionalview' takenv substantially on theline's- 4 of Figure 3; and

Figure 5 is'a detail vertical sectional view illustrating the drivemechanism for the can feeding and discharging disks.-

R eferring infu-rther detail to the drawings, in the selected embodimentof my invention the superstructure of" the machine is mounted upon asuitable base it" Which; in the present instance, is in the forzrr o'i'ahousing enclosing parts of the drive mechanism for the machine. Upon thetop of thishousing a base plate I? is secured by mcans'ef suitable boltsI' l which may also secure the lowerend Wall of a-hollow cylindricalstandard or column listen the upper surface of the plate l2'. A hollowdrum I-8 surrounds the upper end of this standard, theto'p wall 200isaid drum havingan upwardly offset p'artextending over the upper endofthe standard lB-an'd' being rigidly fixe'd thereto by the: bolts orscrews 22. Immediately below the druml 8 and at its lower end,thewall-o-fthestandard H5 is formed withrelaitively thick portions'orhas welded to the external surface thereof the bearing rings indicatedat-24, the-purpose of which will be presently explained. v

A rotating turret encloses the standard it. and drum I S said turretincluding a lower' cylirfdrical section 26 spaced irom'the standard Itand.'hav-- ing' av fiang'e flfi' on its uppe'rerfid to .whi'chfthe lower,end'of the cylindricalshelltfl of the-upperturret seeti'on secured. Theup er end of the shell is closed byithe' top plate 32 .h ing anop'eningat, and a detachable cover is secured-to plate '32 by" the screw/s13.Atlits upper end; the

turret section 255: h'a'sian internally thickened fannular' portion 4'9to which a bearing ring' iids wielded o therwise secured andhaslr'otatable V t with,theperipl ieralsurface of the .73.? $3Fmstandardi'igl Within the'ldwer 'e'nd ofthe turret" section 26,

the vertical flange of an L-shaped ring 44 is fitted and has a bearingring 46 welded to its inner surface and in rotative bearing contact withthe peripheral face of the lower bearing ring 24 on standard I6.

A large diameter spur gear 48 surrounds the lower end of turret section26 and has a depending flange 50, which, together with the verticalflange of ring 44, is rigidly secured to the lower end of turret section26 by suitablerivets, indicated at 52.

Below the upper section of the turret, a stationary elongated platform54 is suitably fixed to the upper ends of vertical standards 56, securedto the top wall of housing I0. This platform is provided with an openingof suitable diameter in its rear end portion to receive the turretsection 26 and the forwardly extending end of said platform is supportedupon the intermediate portion 58 of a U-shaped frame member, theparallel legs 60 of which form inclined struts extending upwardly andforwardly from the front wall of the housing I0, to which they arebolted or otherwise rigidly fixed.

Immediately beneath the platform 54, a plurality of circumferentiallyspaced charge-receiving chambers are mounted upon the turret section 26to rotate therewith. As herein shown, these chambers are located betweenthe top and bottom annular plates 6| and 62 respectively, the latterplate at its inner edge having an annular flange 64 riveted or otherwisesecurely fixed to the wall of turret section 26 as shown at 66. Thisplate is formed with an annular series of spaced openings 68 ofapproximately the same diameter as the internal diameter of the can tobe filled. The upper plate 6I is provided with an annular series ofspaced, radially elongated openings I which are adapted to successivelyregister with an opening I2 of similar form in the platform 54 at theforward side of the rotating turret.

Between the plates 6| and 62, at the inner side of the openings 68 andI0, the upper and lower ends respectively of charge-receiving chambersections I4 are securely fixed. The opposed outer chamber sections 16are radially movable between plates GI and 62 with respect to thechamber sections I4 and are each provided with a horizontal outwardlyprojecting arm I8 in which the spaced pins 80 are mounted to providesupporting journals for rollers 82 on the under side of arm I8. Theserollers are engaged, respectively, with the inner and outer faces of aring 84 eccentrically mounted and supported with relation to therotating turret and standard I6 by suitable bracket members 86projecting inwardly from the standards 56 (see Figure 1). It will beevident that, in the rotation of the turret, the outer charge-receivingchamber sections I6 are moved inwardly and outwardly with respect to thefixed sections I4.

In forwardly spaced relation from the chargereceiving chambers, asuitable bearing 88 is charge-receiving chambers. This gear carries 4the adjustable measuring chambers. As herein shown, the metal sheet I04,suitably secured to the upper surface of gear 96, is formed with aseries of bottomless upstanding chamber sections I06, in accurateregister with each of the openings I02 in the gear. Complementaryrelatively adjustable chamber-sections I08 are formed upon the metalplate IIO, which is centrally provided with an opening receiving the nutIl2 engaged upon the threaded upper-end portion I I4 of the shaft 92.,At its lower end, the nut H2 is formed with flange II6, underlying theplate H0, and is rotatively connected with the plate by means of acollar H8 secured to the set II2 by a suitable nut-screw. Thus the nutmay be rotated upon the upper end of shaft 92 to move axially on saidshaft with the plate H0, and thereby raise or lower said plate andchamber sections I08, with respect to the chamber sec tions I06, to varythe capacity or the vertical dimension of the measuring chambers inaccordance with the length of the vegetable or other commodity to bereceived therein.

Below the plate 62, a ring I20 is secured to the periphery ofturret-section 23 by rivets I22 and is provided with vertically spacedparallel flanges I24 having can end receiving notches or recesses I26 inalignment with the respective openings 68 in the plate 62.

The gear 48 is also provided with a series of openings I28 in alignmentwith notches I26 and openings 68, ineach of which a hollow cylindricalcan clamping member I30 is slidably engaged. The upper end of thismember is closed and between the same and a pin I32 telescoped therein aspring I34 is interposed. The lower end of the pin I32 is recessed toreceive a freely rolling ball I36 bearing upon the marginal edge portionof the base plate I2. As will be seen from reference to Figures 1, 2 and4, the upper surface of this marginal portion of the base plate hasportions thereof disposed at two different levels, the lower levelportion, indicated at I38, extending around the front side of the turretwhile the higher level portion I40 extends around the rear side thereof.The adjoining ends of these two portions of the surface of the baseplate are connected by the sloping or inclined cam surfaces, indicatedat I42, over which the balls I36'ride from one surface portion to theother.

The rotatable measuring chambers are preferably enclosed by the wall I44which is supported with its lower edge in clearance relation to the gear96 by means of a plurality of bracket members I46 fixed to'the platform54. The rear portion of this enclosing wall where it extends beneath theupper section 30 of the rotating turret, is cut away as indicated atI48.

A bracket member, having vertical legs I50 and a horizontal connectingportion I52 extending transversely above the wall I44, is securelyanchored to the platform 54. Upon the bracket part I52, at itsapproximate center, an ejector unit comprising a cylinder I54 is mountedand supplied with a suitable fluid pressure medium from a convenientsource (not shown) for the operation of plunger I56, to the lower end ofwhich a suitable form of pressure applying head or ejector I5 8 issecured. The operation. of plunger I56 is controlled by a suitable valvemechanism within cylinder I54, the valve rod or tured lug on. cylinder[541 When the plunger head IE8 is at the limitof its upward" movement,the arm I62 is di'sposedin a substantially horizontal position, and theother end of said arm is adapted to be engaged by circumferentiallyspaced obliquely inclinedicam-lu'gs I66, secured to the periphery of theupper turretsection 30.

.These cam-lugs correspond in number to the .number of measuringchambers, and are so positioned with respect to .the charge-receivingchambers that after a charge-receiving chamber comes into substantialalignment with one of the measuring'chambers,

armIBZ is then actuated by one of'the cam-lugs 166 to operate the valvemechanism whereby plunger head 15a is forced downwardly to dis place themeasured quantity of material from the turret. To the outer peripheryof'the wall i8, parallel cam-track bars Ill-disposed at an angle ofsubstantially 45 degrees to the axis of rotation of theturret,--are;suitably secured; Be-

tween these bars and each piston rod I 68ra spacing bracket I M issecured to the rod by a bolt I16 having a head at one end upon whicharoll er I]? ismounted between and in contact with the the spacedcam-trackbars I12 H Each piston rod I68 is provided at its lower endwith a pressure-applyinghead I80, which is or" such diameter that whenchamber section it is at the limit of its inward movement, and" thecharge compressed, as seen at the left in Figure 4, said plunger headmoves downwardly through the chamber in substantially concentricrelation therewith. M e

As shown most clearly in Figure '3 of the drawings, as the plungers movedownwardly from their elevated positions at the front side of the turret(shown at the right in Figure 4 after the charge has been compressed,they pass downwardly through a slot I82 in platform 54 extending throughapproximately 180 degreesaroundthe rear side of the turret 7 1 I Whileany suitable means may'beprovided: for rotating the turret, and themeasuring chambers and for feeding the cans to charge-receiving positionbetween thegear 43 andplat'e =t2iand for dischargingthe filled cans fromthemachine, we preferably provide the mechanism best shown in Figures 2,3 and of the drawings. The housing in is of substantially rectangularform and adjacent one of the front corners thereof "a bearing I84 issecured'to the top wall'of :the housing in'which the loweriend 'of'l'avertical shaft I86 is journalled. This shaft extends downwardly with-.in-the housing and-has a sprocliet'i88- fixed to the lower endthereo'fand connected by drive chain I98 with a .smaller..sprocket. I92on the upper end of a shaft lfi l'journalled'in'the bearing I95 mountedon oneside wallof'the housing. A bevel gear I98 on thelowerendoffthisshaft is in constant mesh with'bevel 'pinion209'f'on the shaft of amotor mounted within housing. Iiland partially indicated at 202in Figure4 of the drawngs. Abovethe.'bear-ing. I84,' gear. 20dis secured to shaftlBtandisiri constant'meshwith'the turret and charge-receiving I68 arevertically reciprocable through guide bushings I in the top and bottomwalls 32 and 28 of the upper end section of At the other fruit corner ofhousing It, ope

posite to the shaft I35, a bearing ZIB isfix'ed to the top wallthereofin which the lower end of vertical shaft 222? is journalled. Asprccke't1222 keyed to this shaft is connected by drivelchain 224 withthe sprocket 2I2 on sh'aft 208'. To the upper end'portionof shaft 220,the connecting hub 226 between vertically spaced can feeding disks 2:28is keyed orotherwise fi xed to rotate therewith and is held againstaxial movement on said shaft by means of shoulderZtIlon the shaft andplate 232 secured against the upper end of thehub by meansof nuts 234threaded upon a reduced upper end eigtensionof the shaft; The edges ofthe disks 228 are suitably notched or recessed to receive the individualcans supplied theretofrom a suitable-conveyor mounted atone side of themachine (not shown)-. Below the lower disk 22s a can-supporting plate ordiskfiii is fixed to the lower end of -hub 226.

At the same side of the machineand rearwardly of the turret, a bearingmember; 238 is fixed to the top wall of housing. Land in this; bearingthe lower end of stub-shaft 24d is iournalledl [Io this shaft sprocketmember 242 is keyed and; is

connected by drive-chain 244 with the sprocket 2 It on shaft 203. To theupper end of shaft 240 a disk 24-6 is secured to receive the filled cansand discharge the sametoacarry-off conveyor extending rearwardly fromthe machine; 7

Having now disclosed the several novel structural features of myimproved automatic filling machine, a complete operating cycle thereofmay be described as follows V I Having first vertically adjusted themeasuring chamber sections H23 in themanner heretofore described, inaccordance with the known average length of the string beans or othercommodities to be filled into the cans or containers, upon-energizationof motor 252, the several cooperating units are relatively rotatedin thedirections indicated by the arrows in Figure 3 of the drawings. In therotation of the gear 96, as the measuring chambers successively approachthe central front edge of platform 5 the attendant places a sufficientquantity of the string beans or other product, in each of said chambersto completely iill the same in a loosely coherent mass, the lower endsof the beans extending through opening 192 in the gear and resting onplatform 5d;

The empty cans are successively ied by the disks 228 into the notches offlanges 424th the turret between drivegear 48 and'plate iit i'These-"cans, indicated at C in Figure {2 of the drawings, are positionedat the front, side of the/machine in alignment with the respectiveopenings 58 inthe plate 52 and with theiropen upper ends spaced belowsaid plate, since the'members I36 are in their-normal positionssubstantially flush with the top face of gear 46 and the balls I36 aremoving upon the lowerlevel I33 of 'the marginal surfaceof plate I2.

the turret arrives at a position in substantial vertical alignment withone of the measuring mechanism whereby the plunger is forced downwardlyso that the plunger head I58 will apply sumcient force to the upper endsof the beans to urge the same downwardly through opening I2 in platform54 and into the charge-receiving chamber below said opening. Only acomparatively light pressure is required since by reason of thelubricating ,efiect of the natural fruit or vegetable juices, the entiremass will readily slide vertically from the measuring chamber into thecharge-receiving chamber. Since the section 16 of the latter chamber isin its outer position, the charge is received in said chamber insubstantially the same loosely coherent mass condition as initiallyprevailed in the measuring chamber. The distance between thebottom plate62 of the measuring chamber and the plunger operating cylinder 15 i andthe stroke of the plunger is accurately calculated so that all danger ofcrushing the beans or other commodities is avoided. Of course at thistime, the plunger rod I68 associated with the particular chamberwhichhas received the charge is at the extreme limit of its upwardmovement.

As shown in Figure 2 of the drawings, as the turret with the chargedchamber and the can continues to rotate in the clockwise direction, theball I36 moves upwardly over one of the inclines I42 upon the high levelsurface portion I40 of the base plate I2. The pin I32 and member I30 arethus urged upwardly and the spring I 34 placed under compression totightly clamp the upper open end of the can C against the under side ofplate 62 around the opening 68 therein. Simultaneously, the plunger 168is forced downwardly by the can track bars I12 and the plunger head I38passes through slot I82 in platform 54 after the eccentric ring 84 hasforced the chamber section 16 inwardly and compressed the charge in saidchamber. In the continued rotation of the turret and the downwardmovement of plunger rod I88, the compressed charge is forced downwardlyand into the can C, as shown at the left in Figure 4 of the drawings.Movement of the compressed charge is greatly aided by the natural juicesthereof and the plunger stroke is accurately calculated to avoid alldanger of crushing the beans or other product.

In the further clockwise movement of the turret, the ball I 36 movesdownwardly upon the other of the inclines I42 to the lower level I38 ofthe marginal surface of the plate I2, thus releasing the clampingpressure on the filled can. Flanges I24 on the turret, then direct thefilled can upon the rotating disk 245 by which it is discharged to thecarry-01f conveyor for delivery to the briner and seaming mechanism.

From the foregoing, it will be seen that I have provided an automaticfilling machine of this type capable of delivering in rapid succession,cans or other containers of predetermined dimensions packed to fullcapacity with uncut and uncrushed string beans or other edible commodities. It will be seen that the machine comprises comparatively few partswhich are of simple and rugged structural form and will operate in apositive and reliable manner at high speed for maximum quantityproduction of the canned product.

It will of course be understood that the form and number of themeasuring chambers and the charge-receiving chambers shown in theaccompanying drawings is merely suggestive, and that any desirednumber'of these chambers may be provided, of any selected form or shapeas may be dictated by the particular form or shape of the can orcontainer to be filled. Of course, it will also be understood thatwherever required suitable means may be provided for supplying lubricantto relatively moving parts, such as the fittings 248 shown in Figure 1through which lubricant is supplied to the contacting surfaces of thebearing rings 24 and d2. Also the lower face of the horizontal flange ofring 44 may be provided with a self-lubricating bearing metal indicatedat 250.

The invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departingfrom the spirit or essential characteristics thereof. The presentembodiment is therefore to be considered in all respects as illustrativeand not restrictive, the scope of the invention being indicated by theappended claims rather than by the foregoing description, and allchanges which come within the meaning and range of equivalency of theclaims are therefore intended to be embraced therein.

Whatis claimed and desired to be secured by United States Letters Patentis:

1. In apparatus for filling containers, a charging station and a fillingstation; a revolubly mounted turret; a plurality of circumferentiallyspaced charge-receiving chambers mounted on said turret for movementtherewith between said charging and filling stations; means at thecharging station, including a plurality'of measuring chambers mounted torotate about a common axis spaced from and parallel to the turret axisto successively position said measuring chambers above and in coaxialrelation with said charge receiving chambers; charge delivering means,including a movable member common to all measuring chambers to eject thecharges therefrom into said charge receiving chambers; means foractuating said member in timed relation to the rotation of the turret;and means operatively controlled by the turret for ejecting the materialfrom said charge-receiving chambers into the containers at the fillingstation.

2. Container filling apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein saidcharge-delivering means comprises a fluid pressure operated ejectingplunger mounted above the measuring chambers and operating means for afiuid pressure control valve, together with means carried by the turretfor actuatin said valve operating means.

3. Container filling apparatus as defined in claim '1, wherein themounting means for said measuring chambers comprises astationaryplatform having an opening therein to register with saidcharge-receiving chambers, together with a shaft journalled in theplatform and a driving gear mounted onsaid platform in fixed relation tothe shaft and measuring chambers having openings thereinv registerinwith the respective measuring chambers and the opening in said platform.

4. In apparatus for filling containers, a charging station and a fillingstation, a revolubly mounted turret,"said stations being located atrelatively opposite sides of the turret axis, a plurality ofcircumferentially spaced charge-receivmg chambers mounted on said turretfor movement therewith between said changing and filling stations, meansfor successively delivering measured charges of material to saidchambers in the continuous movement of said turret and chambers, each ofsaid chambers comprising a fixed section and a radially slidable sectionin constant parallel relation to each other and to the turret axis,stationary means common to all of said chambers and directly coactingwith means on said slidable sections thereof to radially move saidchamber sections in one direction and dispose the same in maximum spacedrelation to the fixed chamber sections at the charging station, and tothereafter radially move said slidable sections in the oppositedirection progressively during movement of said chambers between saidstations and hold the material under compression at the filling station,and means for ejecting the compressed material from said chambers intothe containers.

5. The container filling apparatus as defined in claim 4 wherein saidcommon means comprises a continuous annular member eccentrically mountedin fixed position relative to the turret.

6. Container filling apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein saidcharge-delivering means comprises an ejector unit mounted in fixedposition at one side of the turret and above the measuring chambers andcontrol means there fore, together with means carried by the turret foractuating the control means.

7. In container filling apparatus, an annular series of charge receivingchambers, an annular series of charge-delivery chambers, means formounting said two series of chambers for relative rotation aboutlaterally spaced parallel axes with individual charge-delivery chambersmovable in succession into closely superposed registering relation withindividual charge-receiving chambers at a position between said axes,power driven means operatively connected with said two series ofchambers, an ejector, means mounting said ejector at said position formovement in a fixed path relative to the registered chambers, and meansrotatable with one of said two series of chambers operativelycontrolling effective operation of said ejector upon registration ofsaid chambers to eject measured charges into said charge-receivingchambers.

8. The container filling apparatus as defined in claim 7 in which saidlast-named means comprises a movable control member for said ejectingdevice and a series of spaced cam elements; co-acting with said memberin successive order.

' ORV'ILLE D. .VELIE.

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